Abstract:
What is proposed is a process for preparation and distillative processing of diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), proceeding from a benzene-containing feed stream, wherein, in a catalytic hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline, steam is generated at two different pressure levels, which covers some or all of the energy demand for the overall process, by using two fluidized bed reactors of identical design, a first fluidized bed reactor being operated with an aniline charge for which the fluidized bed reactors were designed and providing steam at a first, lower pressure level, and a second fluidized bed reactor being operated with a charge reduced with respect to the first fluidized bed reactor to such an extent that the second fluidized bed reactor provides steam at the higher pressure level.